來自全球超過2000組人類與禽類流感病毒基因藍圖現已在公共資料庫開放，以利各國的科學家開發新疫苗和療法。這項由美國過敏感染疾病研究院（NIAID）資助的「流感基因定序計畫」，始於2004年。該研究院的院長表示，這些資訊將有助於科學家了解發展和傳播，並有於發展新的流感疫苗、療法和診斷方式。」負責這項計畫的，是馬里蘭基因研究所（TIGR）管理的微生物定序中心（Microbial Sequencing Center）。未來將分析更多的流感病株與樣本，並公開於基因資料庫（GenBank）。
共同投入該研究的有美國疾管局、世界動物衛生組織、世界糧農組織新城病暨禽流感實驗室、坎特伯里衛生實驗室等。季節性的流感現在是美國危害公眾健康的元兇，每年造成約3萬6千人喪生，以及20萬人次住院治療。全球來看，每年亦奪去了25至50萬人的性命。
The genetic blueprints of more than 2,000 human and avian influenza viruses taken from samples around the world now are available in a public database to scientists everywhere for use in developing new vaccines and therapies. The Influenza Genome Sequencing Project, began in 2004, is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIAID, one of the National Institutes of Health. "This information will help scientists understand how influenza viruses evolve and spread," NIH Director Dr. Elias Zerhouni said Wednesday, "and it will aid in the development of new flu vaccines, therapies and diagnostics." The project has been carried out at the Microbial Sequencing Center, managed by The Institute for Genomic Research, TIGR, of Rockville, Maryland. The Center will sequence more flu strains and samples and make all sequence data freely available to the scientific community and the public through GenBank.
Collaborators on the project include the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the World Organization for Animal Health/Food and Agriculture Organization Reference Laboratory for Newcastle Disease and Avian Influenza in Padova, Italy; and Canterbury Health Laboratories in Christchurch, New Zealand. Seasonal influenza is a major public health concern in the United States, accounting for approximately 36,000 deaths and 200,000 hospitalizations each year. Globally, influenza results in an estimated 250,000 to half a million deaths annually.
作者
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
